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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid distribution system for a plurality of surfaces using an adjustable liquid flow distributor. A preferred application for the present invention is the spiral separators industry.
2. Related Art
Washing liquid distribution systems are used in different industrial processes such as separating concentrating particles in slurry from lighter ones in a spiral separator. The use of water or liquid washing has been found to be desirable because it will keep lighter particles washed off of the concentrating particles and will also assist in moving the heavier concentrates to their points of discharge in the spiral. The movement of the concentrating particles without washing water would be quite slow or may even stop completely because they are in not only the slowest moving zone but are in a very shallow or narrow portion of the slurry.
In the prior art, washing water or liquid is delivered through a spiraling pipe or launder trough. Typically, a spiral separator contains a water-carrying pipe with openings or a water channel that is adjacent to inner side of a trough surface in a spiral separator. A multitude of control valves control water flow from the pipe or water channel to the process trough. In a seven flights spiral separator, for example, a water carrying pipe may have seven to twenty openings and usually there is a control valve for each outlet.
Another prior art system has a center column, which is used as a water reservoir, and individual valves control the amount of water supplied to each point of addition along the spiral. The pressure difference between the points of addition makes it difficult to control the flow. Additionally, the kinetic energy of water at the lowest point of addition due to the high pressure might be large enough to disturb the liquid flow around the last point of addition.
The prior art discloses a variety of washing liquid delivery pipes in a spiral separator. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,469 discloses a washing water delivery pipe for a spiral separator. A washing water carrying channel is attached to an inner side of a trough of a flight. An open pipe links the water channel to the inner side transferring water there between. Another piping arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,560. A washing water carrying channel is disposed adjacent an inner side of a trough. A conduit disposed in the water channel and supported upon an adjustable bracket therein diverts washing water from the water channel to the inner side of the process trough. The inlet of the conduit faces the water moving stream within the channel, while the outlet of the conduit faces the inner side. Liquid is caused to enter the inlet of the conduit and is discharged through the outlet into the inner side. Another delivery pipe is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,559. A conduit is disposed transversing the trough so that the inlet of the conduit faces the upper and outer side of the trough and the outlet faces the inner and lower side. Water is caused to enter the inlet of the conduit and is discharged through the outlet to the inner and lower side of the process trough.
However, those washing water piping delivery systems suffer from several problems. On occasions, the amount of washing water in a particular trough surface in a flight needs to be adjusted. For example, when heavy concentrating particles composes a big proportion of a slurry, the thin film of liquid flowing adjacent the inner side of a flight may not be sufficient to transport the heavy particles down the spiral. In order to add water to the thin liquid film, one needs to adjust the water control valves. For example, adjusting one valve to increase the flow often decreases the flow to all other outlets. The decrease of water amount volume through one outlet is not proportional to that in another outlet. The decrease in flow in the other outlets may not be desirable. To avoid such problem, an operator even has to adjust all the valves in the spiral separator.
Furthermore, the problem is worsen if the process includes several hundred separators each having several flights as is the case normally. Adjusting all the valves in all these separators consumes significant time and energy and becomes practically an impossible task Additionally, the control valves may become blocked because the they are sensitive to impurities in the water since the size of these control valves is very small.
Because of these and other problems in the prior art, it is apparent that there is a need for a water distribution system that enables control of amount of water flowing in a plurality of flights in several separators.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a washing liquid distribution system that enables manipulating the amount of liquid flowing into each flight of a single spiral separator.
It is another object of the invention is to provide for a liquid distribution system that enables easy and quick adjustment of water levels in a plurality of flights in several separators.
It is another object of the invention to enable efficient use of washing liquid.
It is an additional object of the invention to increase efficiency of separation in a spiral separator.
Still, it is another object of the invention to provide remote control of washing liquid delivered to outlets of a spiral.
Yet, it is another object of the invention to provide automatic control of washing liquid delivered to outlets of a spiral.
The invention relates to a washing liquid distribution system to a variety of surfaces. Preferably, the system is used with spiral separators. The system includes a distributor housing which receives fluid therein to be distributed, a plurality of spaced members have a respective generally vertical passage communicating with fluid in the housing for permitting fluid to flow through the passages into the members, and a plurality of fluid passageways respectively communicating with the members to provide the same or differing amounts of liquid to each of the flights of the spiral.
In one embodiment, the members include a plurality of spaced fluid passageways disposed vertically inside the housing and having a height less than that of the housing. The fluid passageways have respective passage for receiving liquid from the housing into the fluid passageways. The system includes means for tilting the housing to vary liquid flow through the passages, thereby changing amounts of liquid flowing to the plurality of flights in the separator.
In another embodiment, a water or liquid flow distributor housing is disposed on top of an upper inlet of a spiral separator having a helical trough surface shaped into a plurality of flights. The housing includes a liquid flow controller which is a rectangular housing comprised of rectangular sections disposed about a center chamber fluidly connected to a liquid source. Each of the sections has a generally vertical extending passage communicating fluidly with the center chamber. Also, each section has at least one outlet connected to at least one fluid passageway to distribute varying amount of washing liquid passing through the passage to the trough surface. The fluid passageway delivers liquid adjacent an inner side of the trough. The housing may be supported on a pivotal axle midway of the housing or on a hinge joint underneath one side and a rotatable elliptical cam underneath the other side. When the housing is at flat level, a portion of each of the passages is exposed to liquid coming from the chamber and flow into the trough. When the cam rotates upwardly, one side of the housing moves upwardly, while the other side remains coupled to the hinge joint. As a result, the passages are tilted with perhaps some being fully exposed to the liquid flowing from the chamber, others will be less exposed, and some will be completely closed depending on the angle of tilting. Consequently, the amount of liquid flowing through the outlet of each passage will vary in proportion to the angle of tilting. Each passage distributes washing liquid adjacent an inner side of the trough surface. Varying the tilt angle produces proportional changes in the amount of washing liquid flowing in each trough surface of a flight. An operator can change the amount of liquid flowing into a particular flight. By changing the angle of tilt, the amount of liquid flowing through one passage to one flight varies, while the amount flowing from other passages to other flights varies in proportion to the change in the first one.
If a large number of separators are needed, a liquid flow distributor may be disposed on top of each separator. A main liquid supply provides liquid to all the distributors. This scheme enables an operator to control a liquid flow into each separator. Alternatively, one liquid flow distributor can be used for all the separators. Both of those systems can be automated by adding a flow control mechanism to control flow from the liquid supply to a liquid distributor. Preferably, an on-stream analyzer is used to analyze composition of different samples of concentrate middlings and tailings drawn from the spirals. The analyzer signals analysis data to the control mechanism assisting the control mechanism in determining an appropriate amount of flow to the spirals.
In further embodiment, a washing liquid distributor housing has a plurality of compartments disposed around a cylindrical center chamber. A cylindrical liquid flow controller has an upper slanted edge. The liquid flow controller is disposed inside the center chamber with the outer surface of controller being juxtaposed with the inner surface of chamber. Each of the compartments has a vertical passage fluidly connecting the compartment to the center chamber. Also, each compartment has at least one outlet connected to at least one fluid passageway. The liquid flow controller receives liquid from a liquid supply. At any rotated position, the controller exposes and covers some areas or portions of passages to liquid flow. When the controller rotates to selected positions around its vertical central axis inside the center chamber, changes in the areas covered and exposed to liquid flow are provided which changes amount of water flowing through these passages to the fluid passageways. Each passage in each compartment delivers liquid flow to fluid passageways, which are connected to different flights of a separator. Fluid passageways deliver washing liquid to a trough surface of the spiral separator. Consequently, rotation of the controller provides differing amounts of washing liquid to different flights in the separator. If an operator desires to increase or decrease the amount of washing liquid flowing into a separator, the operator simply rotates the controller to cause delivery of more or less amount of liquid. The amount of washing liquid flowing into other flights also will change but the changes will generally be in proportion to the change in flow desired by the operator. The controller upper edge may have different contours as may be required by different processes for separating different particles.